First Look at Encryption and Decryption with pfEncryptor

This tutorial will give you a tour of the pfEncryptor application and how it works.

First, an example in which you encrypt a string and then immediately verify the encryption by successfully decrypting it.

Make sure pfEncryptor is started and you are on the main form.

See Main Form Overview for a description of the various fields on the form.

In the Encrypt portion of the form:

  • Click String to identify this as a string encryption.
  • Make sure AES is selected.
  • Click the Generate Random Key/IV button.
    • You will see strings of random characters in the Key and IV fields.
  • Leave Binary Encryption unchecked.
  • Type A string to encrypt into the Unencrypted Source field.
  • Click the Source Button.
    • You can add more text, if you wish, using the popup text box which appears.
  • Click the Encrypt Button.
  • The encrypted text will appear in the Encrypted Output field.
  • Click the Output Button.
    • You can see the encrypted text in the popup text box which appears.
  • Click the Save button.
    • Type TestStringEncrypt for the file name.
    • Click Save button
    • You will be returned to the Main Form.
  • Click the New button.
    • This will clear the Encryption Definition Form.
  • Click the Load button.
    • Select the TestStringEncrypt.xml file you previously saved.
    • Click Open.
  • The encryption definition fields will again be visible.
  • Click Save Key/IV button.
    • Type EncryptStringKeyIV for the file name.
    • Click Save button.

In the Decrypt portion of the main form.

  • Click the Copy Key/IV From Above button.
    • The Key, IV, using, output to, Binary Encryption and File to Decrypt fields will be filled in using the current information in the Encryption Definition portion of the Main Form.
  • Click Decrypt button.
  • Decrypted string will appear in the Decrypted Output field.

In the Encrypt portion of the form:

  • Click New button to clear the Encryption Definition Form.
  • Click Load Key/IV From File button.
    • Select EncryptStringKeyIV.XML file.
    • Click Open.
  • Key, IV and using fields will be filled in.
  • You can now define another encryption operation.

 

For an example of encrypting a file, see Encrypt File topic.